ALDE Party

ALDE Party President Hans van Baalen MEP, and with him ALDE, are deeply moved by the passing away of former FDP President and German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher.

Van Baalen said in a statement: "Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Willy Brandt (SPD) introduced the Ostpolitik which made co-operation with the peoples of Central and Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union possible and slowly made openings in the Iron Curtain. Eloquently said in German, 'Der Eiserne Vorhang durchlässiger machen'.

We are shocked by the horrific terrorist attacks in Brussels and in the National Airport of Zaventem that took many innocent lives on 22 March. These barbaric and inhumane acts cannot be justified by any cause or any ideology.

The ALDE Party condemns the attacks in Brussels on Tuesday 22 March. Freedom, democracy, and an open society must prevail in Europe. Our thoughts go to the victims, the wounded, and their family and friends.

ALDE Party President Hans van Baalen MEP, who knew Guido Westerwelle well from Liberal International, ALDE and VVD exchanges with FDP, is deeply saddened by his passing away. Van Baalen saw Westerwelle grow as a person after he married Michael Mronz. Behind the facade of a strong and controversial political leader, Guido was a warm personality committed to make a difference. We will miss him dearly.

Guido Westerwelle, a member of the German Bundestag from 1996 to 2013, was the chairman of ALDE Party member FDP between 2001 to 2011. He was Vice Chancellor of the Federal Republic from 2009 to 2011 as well as Foreign Minister until 2013.

At the invitation of ALDE Party President Hans van Baalen MEP, ALDE Group leader in the European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt, and Prime Minister of Belgium Charles Michel; liberal Prime Ministers and European Commissioners met at the Egmont Palace in Brussels on Thursday 17 March ahead of the European Council Summit of the same day.

The core topic of discussion was the latest developments on tackling the migration crisis, particularly EU-Turkey cooperation.

On Friday 11 March the first tapes containing personal images of a female leader of Georgian ALDE Party member party Free Democrats (FD) were released. This week, Free Democrats have received more threats of disclosure of personal videos against more FD leaders, including Irakli Alasania. This public outrage takes place three weeks after one of the FD leaders, Alexi Petriashvili, was a victim of an armed attack suffering three gunshot wounds.

From Saturday 12 to Monday 14 March Hans van Baalen MEP, ALDE Party President, attended the Congress of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Macedonia. During the Congress, ALDE Party President met with LDP leader Goran Milevski as well as addressed the Congress participants.

In his speech, Hans van Baalen MEP pointed out the problems that Macedonia is facing, including the challenges in guaranteeing the rule of law.

The ALDE Group in the European Parliament condemns the breach of international law in the case of Ukrainian pilot, MP and member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Nadia Savchenko, who faces spending 23 years in prison following a Russia's prosecutor request in her case.

Nadia Savchenko was charged with complicity in the death of two Russian journalists, after being abducted by Russia-backed militants in Donbas last summer and then being illegally transferred to Russia.

On the evening of the first direct elections to the European Parliament, in March 1976 representatives of the nine liberal parties from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the UK gathered in Stuttgart, Germany. With the signing of the Stuttgart Declaration they established the first European political party and programme.

40 years later, on 6 March 2016, Michael Theurer MEP welcomed numerous guests to celebrate the anniversary of the Stuttgart Declaration, a joint event of the FDP Baden-Württemberg, Auslandsgruppe Europa der FDP (AGE) and ALDE Party.

At the end of February we will sadly mark one year since the murder of Boris Nemtsov, the former leader of ALDE Party member party PARNAS. On this occasion, the ALDE Group is organising a number of events to commemorate him and also to look into the future and discuss prospects for a democratic Russia and for stronger relationships not only between the EU and Russia but also between societies and artists.